ZAGREB, June 29 (Hina) - Commenting on his recent claim about the exhumation of Croat victims, Croatian War Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic on Thursday told reporters he "has never claimed that the job was not completed, but it is a
fact that 1,605 persons are held missing. And that's only that." Pancic was explaining his recent statement in Vukovar that "the former authorities were stalling exhumations in collaboration with Belgrade." Pancic also confirmed that he would no longer publicly announce the results of the revision of veterans' disability status. This was done the first time because of the public interest and now there is no need for that any longer, Pancic said, adding this would only "make a fuss of the whole procedure." Pancic was speaking at a ceremony held at the Croatian Oil Industry (INA) building, at which a monument to 19 Ina Naftaplin employees, killed in the Homeland War, was
ZAGREB, June 29 (Hina) - Commenting on his recent claim about the
exhumation of Croat victims, Croatian War Veterans' Minister Ivica
Pancic on Thursday told reporters he "has never claimed that the job
was not completed, but it is a fact that 1,605 persons are held
missing. And that's only that."
Pancic was explaining his recent statement in Vukovar that "the
former authorities were stalling exhumations in collaboration with
Belgrade."
Pancic also confirmed that he would no longer publicly announce the
results of the revision of veterans' disability status. This was
done the first time because of the public interest and now there is
no need for that any longer, Pancic said, adding this would only
"make a fuss of the whole procedure."
Pancic was speaking at a ceremony held at the Croatian Oil Industry
(INA) building, at which a monument to 19 Ina Naftaplin employees,
killed in the Homeland War, was unveiled.
Speaking about his statement in Vukovar, Pancic said he did not know
why some "were allergic to Belgrade being mentioned", adding, "who
was it who divided Bosnia, how did Vukovar fall, and where did the
weapons end up?."
"Some people have a short memory, and if they have to be reminded, I
will be the one to do that," Pancic said.
Asked whether he would resign at the request of some war veterans'
associations due to errors made in the revision of veterans'
disability status and his statement in Vukovar, Pancic asked
reporters, "Is this a serious interview?" He added the Croatian
National Parliament would decide about his replacement.
Asked to comment on his statement that the former authorities and
Belgrade were operating together and that that was the reason why
exhumations were conducted at a slower pace, Pancic answered with a
question, asking how many Serb war criminals had been processed in
Croatia, except for trials in absentia, which, he said, "were more a
screen and a show than the real trials."
He also asked why the documentation gathered at police stations and
hospitals on the territory once held by Croatian Serb rebels had not
been classified and put in archives but piled up in rooms which were
locked up.
Pancic claims that "there is information that important facts,
which could help speed up the process of exhumation, are hidden
there."
Commenting on last week's statement by the president of the
Association of Croatian Homeland War Veterans, Djuro Decak, that
"Pancic is not worthy to hold the office of Veterans' Minister,"
Pancic asked whether the heads of those associations were worthy to
lead Croatian disabled war veterans who were honourable men.
(hina) mm rml